


Attention

by yutorin



Series: Attention-verse [1]
Category: Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: And Keito is oblivious, Canon Universe, Chinen knows all, Hamburgers, Keito's hard life, M/M, Mentioned Yamajima, Originally Posted in 2016, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Pining, Previous Hikabu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 15:44:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20838011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yutorin/pseuds/yutorin
Summary: Keito was being dense. Chinen just couldn't tell him what about.





	Attention

"You really should pay more attention." Chinen declared, giving Keito a look as he leaned over and wrapped his lips around the straw of his drink. The words made his dinner companion's frown deepen, worry lines in his forehead increasing as he pushed his eyebrows as close together as they could possibly go. Keito always had been easy to turn into an overly concerned ball of nerves; Chinen had always thought he cared too much about too many things. But this time it didn't bother him as much. It seemed more justified than the usual everyday problems.

"You think I'm missing something?" Keito asked around his hamburger, and Chinen nodded, releasing his straw. "D'you know what it is?" Keito's voice was getting high with anxiety now, and it would have been almost cute, if it didn't happen at least four times a week. Chinen nodded again, and relief washed over Keito's face for a moment before he swallowed his food and frowned again. "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope." Keito groaned, leaning back in their booth and scrunching his face up dramatically, and it would have been funny, except that this time it wasn't trivial. This time Chinen knew it was kinda serious, and it sucked. Keito flopped down on the table a bit, slumping dejectedly.

"Hikaru hasn't spoken to me in nearly a whole week Chinen. I've invited him out three times. He didn't even turn me down, he just didn't respond at all. I don't know what I did." Chinen blinked at him for a moment, taking a handful of Keito's fries and stuffing them in his mouth so he wouldn't have to respond right away. Hikaru―it seemed―had finally figured out that he was in love with Keito, and the rest of the group had been relieved at first: it was about time. As far as Chinen could tell Hikaru was running away from his feelings, afraid that he'd get hurt again after the disaster of a breakup with Yabu, when Yabu decided he wanted to try dating girls, but that had been years ago.

Chinen didn't like it, but he understood why Hikaru was so anxious. Keito was one of the few of them that still considered himself to be―mostly―straight. But Keito had been more than a little upset when Yuto and Yamada had first gotten together, pining in a way that made his feelings harshly clear, so Chinen wasn't fully convinced. It seemed to be enough however to make Hikaru chicken out of taking any action, good or bad, and Keito was so oblivious to Hikaru's feelings it was almost painful. Honestly the whole situation was stupid. Chinen couldn't help but feel thankful that he didn't have any crushes. Too much emotional strain. He had Ohno to love from afar, and he was content with that.

"Maybe you just need to give him a little space." Chinen finally declared, swallowing and reaching for another one of Keito's fries, knowing that his friend was too nice to comment on the food stealing. Keito didn't appear to be paying any attention. He didn't even blink when Chinen reached over for the last of his fries, his eyes unfocused, looking blankly at the faux red leather upholstery of their booth before declaring

"I'm going to apologize."

"For what?" Chinen asked, and Keito shrugged, getting to his feet and grabbing his phone out of his pocket.

"I don't know. Anything. Everything." He still had that tense, distressed look in his eyes, and Chinen sighed.

"I don't know if that will change anything."

"But there's nothing else I can do." Keito declared, and to Chinen's surprise Keito was tearing up, his eyes glassy with unshed tears, hands trembling a bit as they clenched around his phone. It was almost upsetting just looking at him. Stupid Hikaru. He should know better. Chinen was totally going to sic Yamada on Hikaru's ass for this later. Or maybe he'd just lock Hikaru in a room with a cat for a few minutes. His neighbor had a cat. He could probably borrow it.

"Fine. Go." He said, Keito nodding and dashing off. Hopefully those two would get their shit together, he thought, as he leaned over and grabbed Keito's hamburger, taking a big bite. It was good. Much better than the chicken dish he'd gotten. He should have known, Keito knew all of the best places in town to get burgers. He glanced out the window, barely making Keito out in the light of a nearby streetlamp, his phone up to his ear, tear tracks on his cheeks shining in the yellow glow. He sighed again for what felt like the thousandth time that night. Keito and Hikaru had better figure it out soon. Anything was better than this unresolved tension. At this rate he was going to end up paying for the food, on top of his sage advice.


End file.
